Emily had already buried her best friend, thinking the worst was behind her. But when a sudden visitor arrived with a child and a secret, her perfect life began to crumble in ways she never imagined.
I never thought anything could hurt more than losing Rachel.

She was more than my best friend. She was my sister. We met in second grade. I was shy, bookish. She was loud, funny, fearless. Somehow, we just clicked. It was always Emily and Rachel.
When she got cancer, I stayed by her side until the very end. I held her hand, brushed her hair, and talked to her even when she couldn’t answer anymore. I kept thinking she’d open her eyes and smile again. She never did.

Six months later, the pain was still there. Grief came in waves. Some days I could work. Some days I could barely get out of bed.
That afternoon started like any other. Rain tapped gently against the windows. I was in the kitchen, drying dishes. I heard the front door open. Daniel had gotten to it first.
I walked around the corner and froze.

It was Amanda, Rachel’s older sister. She looked rough. Pale. Her hair was pulled back like she hadn’t had time to think about it. She was holding a little pink backpack in one hand and a large envelope in the other.
“I need to talk to both of you,” she said. My stomach dropped. “Is Lily okay?” Amanda nodded but didn’t smile. “She’s fine. But… this is hard. It’s about her.”

She never asked for help, but she brought Lily over a lot. Our house became a second home for that little girl. I loved her. Still do.
Daniel used to laugh and play with her. Then… something shifted.
He started making excuses when Rachel came by. Said he had errands. Or a gym session. Or a call to take.